Sinister: Matinee Idols - Manchester Sunday afternoon review

[Johnston, John CT]

I've just got back from my day trip to Manchester so here's one boy's
opinion of the gig for those who couldn't be there. If you're too busy
to read the fascinating scene-setting stuff scroll down till you see
******THE GIG*****.

Got the train to Manchester from London first thing in the morning. It
was still dark when I left home and the sky was like a gigantic Scottish
flag: Bluey/Purple with a perfect white saltire of intersecting vapour
trails. A good omen I thought (or another bloody ad. for the Halifax
Building Society). I'll spare the details of the rail travel and say
that I arrived outside Manchester town hall in good time and joined the
queue. It's an amazing building and as I waited to get in I was able to
learn that it was built in 1877 in the Victorian Gothic style (It must
have been hell to be a chisel in them days).Another plaque told me that
Manchester was the world's first nuclear free zone.  So an entertaining
and informative day it was. 

Once on the inside, people were handing out Ice Cream which wasn't
exactly what I most wanted but it was given with love so only a churl
would refuse.(Was it you Katrina handing it out I didn't realise it
might have been you till later or i'd have said hello) Anyhow the ground
floor reminded me of the video to Wannabe - got the picture? Upstairs
the band were going to be playing in the big hall. This was an amazing
lofty room with coats of arms painted on the ceiling and murals on the
wall depicting great scenes from Manchester's history: the Baptism of
St. Edwin, the expulsion of the Danes (shame they forgot Schmeichal)
etc. What with the massic pipe organ at the back (I wonder if Chris had
a go) it was just like a Cathedral.

***************************************THE
GIG****************************************
This would may have accounted for the most amazing thing about this
afternoon; the sound quality. I've never been to a gig where the music
was so beautifully crisp. The strings, the guitars,  the keyboards, the
drums, the Stylophone and assorted other instruments were all so clear
and sounded absolutely beautifull. And atop this all was Stuart's voice
which was faint or fanfare-like as needs required. Every song was the
best I've ever heard it done I thought (although perhaps they could have
upped the keyboards in Tigermilk - just to make it swing even more. If
you've not heard it then it's one to look out for). At times I felt it
was more like a recital than a gig, the music just shone out there. This
was especially true on slower songs like Beautiful. Stuart started
gently on his own and then the moment when the rest joined in was quite
lovely because everything was so clear. Given the atmosphere I was
sorry not to hear the State I am In which I reckon would have been
sublime. But they made up for that in my books by playing Expectations
which I hadn't heard live before.

The atmosphere was very relaxed so the usual gaps between songs didn't
matter, and there were a few line fluffs but Stevie did his best as
prompt to Mr. Murdoch . The stage was U shaped with some of the crowd
inside the U and the rest above and below if you see what I mean. The
band were on the two vertical arms as it were. Being in the middle was a
bit like being at Wimbledon to start with, heads twisting left and right
to catch all the action. The bottom bit of the U was a handy gangway
between the two stages so that people could change sides to get at the
required instruments. However I thought it was a chance missed to have
somebody up there doing interpretive dances - I'm volunteering.

Other highlights included Stevie carefully explaing the chords to Track
and Field to Stuart before starting, all the trumpet bits, Sarah's
Stylophone break on Mayfly which was really clear this time, Isobel's
sparkly dress (ooh bloomin 'eck), momentary disaster when Stuart knocked
over his music stand and lost the words/chords he had carefully
arranged, grooving to Tigermilk and many more. Above it was the sound
though, so so beautiful. All in all it was a great success I thought. So
as Harry Hill would say "Afternoon pop concerts by Belle and Sebastian -
more please".

And as a non-smoking non-drinker it was quite wonderful to see my
favourite band in a non-smoking venue. Oh joy.

Sorry not to meet more Listees. I met David when I got a T-shirt and
hello to Jim, Paul, Stuart and Julia. I'm no longer a ferris wheel
virgin.

Right - I'm off to make some tea in my new Belle and Sebastian mug! :)

Have a very Happy New Year, everyone.

xxx
john

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